How to remove dash panel?

[chAVey]

Okay, anyone know how to remove the brushed aluminium or woodgrain panel that goes across the passenger side of the dash (#2 in the pic below)?  Is it held on with tape?  Pushrivets?  Bolts?  I just don't want to head in there with a screw driver and start prying and damaging it.

Anyways, I think I have figured out how I want to mount my GPS.  If you look in the 2nd pic, there is a big hole in the dash behind that panel (see circle).  I want to try to mount the GPS there semi-permanently (with a clip in/out mount).  So I will need to modify the insert and just don't want to destroy it.  I know that the big "U" shapped piece around the stereo (#1) just prys out, but I'm not sure about this one.

[bandt0913]

looking at the 2nd pic, it looks like it has push rivets..
that's just my ed-u-mah-cated guess though 

[chAVey]

That's sort of what I thought, given that I know that the stereo piece is that way.  I just want to make sure.  I know some people have switched out the woodgrain for the Brushed Aluminium so I'm hoping that they'll pipe in with exact details.

[bandt0913]

good luck with it! I'm 99.999999999% sure someone will chime in with the right answer in no time..

[Tango Chaser]

When I helped sk8deck add woodgrain covr over the speedo I had to semi-remove the part circled in blue.  It was held in with clips "push rivets" ect.  I used a small (eye glass type) screw driver to pry up the end

[gdoebs]

I removed mine to install my Ipod adapter. I used a 5-in-1 paint tool and a small putty knife to pry the U shaped piece out. Just take your time and be gentle would be my advice.

Post picts when your done with the GPS unit!

[bandt0913]

any luck chAVey

[chAVey]

Well, Good News and Bad News:

Good News: Got the panel off.  Just used a 5-in-1 tool (putty knife) to remove the panel.  It is just held in with rivets.  Be careful going along.  I scratched the black dash just slightly (nobody except myself will ever notice it) and the entire panel to the left all the way to the stearing wheel, including the vents and the DIC controls, comes out in 1 piece.

[chAVey]

Bad News:

Where I thought I would mount the GPS wouldn't work.  The hole was too small and didn't have a backing to screw into anyways.  I also noticed that when I had the Garmin sticky mount there, it was just about at my reach without having to bend over.  If I had flush mounted the GPS there, I would have never reached it.

So I just stuck the mount to the right side of the stereo.  Just a little bit of spit "wetness" on the suction cup and it hasn't come off since.  Now I just need to run the wires.  Think I'll put the plug in the console and run the wires up from underneath.  Now I've got to see if Garmin makes a hard-wire version of the plug.

[chAVey]

Update: How to remove the Center Panel:

It pops out just like the rest.  Start from one side, then the other before getting that one bottom rivet.  Be careful, especially with that single bottom one.  I actually put in a small screwdriver to pry as close to the rivet as I could.

[Tango Chaser]

Update: How to remove the Center Panel:

It pops out just like the rest.  Start from one side, then the other before getting that one bottom rivet.  Be careful, especially with that single bottom one.  I actually put in a small screwdriver to pry as close to the rivet as I could.

This is great.  I was going to send you a PM asking if you ever took this piece off.
Going along with my strobe / led dilemma, I was thinking of adding the switches vertically along the radio. I might have to keep thinking this one thru.

[chAVey]

Actually, you still might be able to do something there.  There's just a bunch of empty space besides the stereo/ac - you would just have to drill thru 2 layers.

[AVcop]

Here's a pic of the radio trim piece off I took during my Z1 install, just to give you an idea of how much room you've got in there with that piece off. If you save it and make the pic a little bigger, you can see it better.

[blwright]

Do the cover panels attach to the HVAC vents?  If so, does that whole assembly come out together? 

[07AvySS]

Everything from gauges to the pass vent is one piece. the vents snap into the panel with little tabs...fragile...be careful.
Screw holding pass vent in.
it's just a big snap tite model!! LOL

check mine out when you have time - www.bmgsite.com/mytruck
interior pics towards bottom

[baller]

Would this process be the same for the door panels where the window and door locks are located?  I am assuming they are rivots as well??

[GR1MR3APER]

I'm getting ready to tear my interior apart and was looking for anybody that has or can tell me how to remove the pieces on the steering wheel(2007+), the two pieces that are on the outside of the airbag. Also the top part around the homelink/sunroof buttons?   Any help is much appreciated...

[GoNavy429]

I'm getting ready to tear my interior apart and was looking for anybody that has or can tell me how to remove the pieces on the steering wheel(2007+), the two pieces that are on the outside of the airbag. Also the top part around the homelink/sunroof buttons?   Any help is much appreciated...

Careful that airbag is gonna hurt when it pops out an smacks you in the face... ...  No really if I remember right you have to pull the fuse for the airbags first, then I think I remember there are two pin holes (one for each side) under the steering wheel to release the covers.  If you plan to go further and do anything with the switches you actually have to remove the airbag module.  For the homelink do a search for bluetooth, there was a guy that did a bluetooth install and put his mic in the overhead console, had some good pics and instruction for removing it. I'll take a look see if I can find it.  Thinking he mentioned something about two hex bolts holding that whole deal up, somewhere behind the little overhead lights.

edit:  OK here is the overhead console thread, towards the bottom has pics
http://chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,116579.0.html

found the steering wheel one too, little more involved then you would think just for two little trim pieces...make sure you read the whole thread, last post has some video's of the whole deal...in the second video, when he pulls the center portion with the airbag off, you can see the two big screws holding the cover pieces you have to remove to get the two trim pieces off....
http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,93844.msg1483766.html#msg1483766

[GR1MR3APER]

Careful that airbag is gonna hurt when it pops out an smacks you in the face... ...  

That's one of the things i'm worried about! I was really hoping not to have to mess with the airbag too much... Something goes wrong its gonna break my face and my wallet! Yeah, I watched the video, your right, a lot of hassle for two lil trim pieces. Oh well, ive gotta get it out. I really appreciate the links, your a life saver gonavy...

[shoe1]

Great information.  My two year old fed the CD player some coins and my wife tried wit a magnet to retrieve them.  I will have to remove the stereo unit and see if I can get the stuff out of the player.  Mine had the nav unit under the stereo but I am assuming it all removes the same way.